Seafood in Australia
Encyclopedia
Australia
's GDP
in year 2007-2008 amounted to $ 1,084,146 million, while in the same year the sector of Agriculture, forestry and fishing was worth $24,744 million. Fishery is an important branch of this economic department: its players, dimensions, dynamics and main features are at the core of this research.
– the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics – the word "seafood" refers to any fish or other aquatic plant or animal intended for human consumption; it would exclude non-edible fisheries products.
According to the same source, which has been drawn up by Scientists Thuy Pham and Alistair Peat with the assistance of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority
and state fisheries departments, in year 2007-2008 the Australian fisheries production reached a total volume amounting to 236 000 tonnes, equivalent to $2.19 billion in terms of gross value.
Compared to the data of the previous year, seafood production accounted for a decrease both in terms of volume (7800 tonnes less than in 2007-2007, a fall by 3%) and in terms of gross value (a difference of $24 million, equal to a 1% reduction).
There are, in addition to the Commercial fisheries, recreational and Indigenous fisheries.
follow with 21% and 20% each.
Australia has special rights
over the exploitation of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coastline, exceeding that of its land mass. Within the EEZ seazone free use of marine resources is allowed (Geoscience Australia. 2005. Maritime Boundary Definitions). Australia's fishing zone is the third largest in the world, covering 11 million square kilometres, yet Australia is only the 52nd largest producer in terms of volume.
. Australian seafood product, like most of other countries’, includes both wild catch fisheries and aquaculture production. The national product, finally, encompasses also the portion addressed to export, but it does not include the amount of fishery imported by Australia from abroad.
resulting from export, the purchases of Australian seafood from foreign Counties has fallen by 10%, if compared to the rates of the previous year: such a fall is estimated to be due to a general fall in the whole volume of edible fisheries production. So, since most of exports concern fish and shellfish, a decrease in the production of these goods (coming from both wild catch and aquaculture) affects the amount of them which can be exported.
During previous year, imports in the fishery sector declined by 5%, mainly because of a fall in the demand of imported crustaceans, molluscs ( - 14%) and non-edibles (- 6%); notwithstanding, the share of expense assigned to imports has recently come to exceed the amount of income coming from exportations: $1.4 billion > $ 1.3 billion.
In fact, in 2007-2008 Australia became a net importer of fisheries products, both in terms of volume and in terms of value, although the composition of its exports differs from the imports’, being Australian fisheries exports dominated by high value species, while its imports consist of lower value products such as frozen or canned fish.
at 13,800 tonnes.
In the Australian fishery market the rock lobster brought the largest revenue; exchanged for a value of $407 million. Salmons and trouts kept the second position with $299 million, with prawns third at $268 million and tuna fourth at $210 million. Finally, abalone is the fifth commercially most important species for the Australian fish market, generating $189 million.
Regarding Australian fish
imports: canned fish is estimated to be the most imported at $257 million, frozen fish fillets at $228 million, prawns (fresh, chilled and frozen) at $167 million and canned crustaceans and molluscs at $128 million.
According to the Seafood Importer’s Association of Australasia (SIAA), Hoki, Hake, Nile Perch
and Basa are the most relevant species of fish imported to Australia, in terms of volume.
Tuna was 6.2% of the domestic catch and 9.6% of total revenue
Salmonoids (salmon and trout) were 10.8% of total catch and 13.6% of revenue
Prawns were 9.5% of total catch and 12.2% of revenue
Rock lobster was 5.8% of total catch and 18.5% of revenue
Abalone was 2.2% of total catch and 8.6% of revenue
Oysters were 4% of catch and 5.2% of revenue
Scallops were 4.3% of total catch and 1.4% of revenue
size of 1004 Australian adults, approximately half the sample at 49% purchased seafood in supermarkets, with 26% at specialist seafood stores, 20% directly from fresh fish markets and 16% catching their own seafood.
Restaurants, hotels and clubs seem to be the main source of fish for approximately 14% of the sample, as well as fish and chips
shops at 13%, 4% by family or friends who fish and 2% relying on other fast food
outlets.
Cairns Ocean Products
Five Star Seafoods
Mackay Reef Fish Supplies Pty Ltd
Mackay Reef Export Pty Ltd
Marine World Seafood
Mooloolah River Fisheries
Ocean Exports Pty Ltd
Perkins Island Oysters
Poulos Bros Pty Ltd
Roccos Seafood
Seabest International
Southern Yabby Farm
Urangan Fisheries
Wood Fisheries Pty Ltd
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's GDP
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
in year 2007-2008 amounted to $ 1,084,146 million, while in the same year the sector of Agriculture, forestry and fishing was worth $24,744 million. Fishery is an important branch of this economic department: its players, dimensions, dynamics and main features are at the core of this research.
Australian Fisheries Production
Borrowing the definition from Australian fisheries statistics 2008, a report published in July 2009 by ABAREAustralian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics , is located in Canberra, Australia. ABARE, established in 1945, is an Australian government economic research agency, it is also involved in commercial consultancy.Their mission is:...
– the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics – the word "seafood" refers to any fish or other aquatic plant or animal intended for human consumption; it would exclude non-edible fisheries products.
According to the same source, which has been drawn up by Scientists Thuy Pham and Alistair Peat with the assistance of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority
Australian Fisheries Management Authority
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority is the Australian Government statutory agency responsible for the management and sustainable use of fisheries resources and for combating illegal fishing activities in Australian waters .-History:The Australian Fisheries Management Authority was...
and state fisheries departments, in year 2007-2008 the Australian fisheries production reached a total volume amounting to 236 000 tonnes, equivalent to $2.19 billion in terms of gross value.
Compared to the data of the previous year, seafood production accounted for a decrease both in terms of volume (7800 tonnes less than in 2007-2007, a fall by 3%) and in terms of gross value (a difference of $24 million, equal to a 1% reduction).
Principal commercial fisheries
The principal commercial Australian fisheries are:- Northern Prawn Fishery (Commonwealth)
- Heard Island and McDonald Island Fishery (Commonwealth)
- Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (Commonwealth)
- Queensland Spanner Crab Fishery
- Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery
- NSW General Estuary Fishery
- NSW Ocean Haul Fishery
- WA Rock Lobster Fishery
- WA Purse Seine Fisheries
- Tasmanian Abalone Fishery
- NT Mud Crab Fishery
- SA Lakes and Coorong Fishery
- SA Spencer Gulf Prawn Fishery
- SA Marine Scalefish Fishery
There are, in addition to the Commercial fisheries, recreational and Indigenous fisheries.
Production by State
The largest share, 22%, of the whole gross value generated by seafood production in the Commonwealth area – not only in Australia – is attributable to Tasmania, while South and Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
follow with 21% and 20% each.
Australia has special rights
Special rights
Special rights is a term originally used by libertarians to refer to laws granting rights to one or more groups which are not extended to other groups...
over the exploitation of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the coastline, exceeding that of its land mass. Within the EEZ seazone free use of marine resources is allowed (Geoscience Australia. 2005. Maritime Boundary Definitions). Australia's fishing zone is the third largest in the world, covering 11 million square kilometres, yet Australia is only the 52nd largest producer in terms of volume.
Composition
Fisheries production consists mainly of seafood goods which are marketed for human consumption, but also of non-edible fisheries products, such as pearls and fish mealFish meal
Fish meal, or fishmeal, is a commercial product made from both whole fish and the bones and offal from processed fish. It is a brown powder or cake obtained by rendering pressing the cooked whole fish or fish trimmings to remove most of the fish oil and water, and then ground...
. Australian seafood product, like most of other countries’, includes both wild catch fisheries and aquaculture production. The national product, finally, encompasses also the portion addressed to export, but it does not include the amount of fishery imported by Australia from abroad.
Exports
In the year 2007-2008, Australia exported fisheries products for a value of $1.3 billion, approximately 80% of which was derived from edible fishery export, such as shellfish and fish; the remainder was non-edible products, being predominantly pearls. Despite the still considerable share of the domestic productGross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
resulting from export, the purchases of Australian seafood from foreign Counties has fallen by 10%, if compared to the rates of the previous year: such a fall is estimated to be due to a general fall in the whole volume of edible fisheries production. So, since most of exports concern fish and shellfish, a decrease in the production of these goods (coming from both wild catch and aquaculture) affects the amount of them which can be exported.
Imports
Fisheries products imported by Australia within the year 2007-2008 accounted for a value of $ 1.4 billion; exactly like Countries towards whom Australia aims its own exports, even Australian imports derive mainly (approximately 80%) from edible fishery products; the remainder is due again to pearls and fishmeal, i.e. non-edible goods.During previous year, imports in the fishery sector declined by 5%, mainly because of a fall in the demand of imported crustaceans, molluscs ( - 14%) and non-edibles (- 6%); notwithstanding, the share of expense assigned to imports has recently come to exceed the amount of income coming from exportations: $1.4 billion > $ 1.3 billion.
In fact, in 2007-2008 Australia became a net importer of fisheries products, both in terms of volume and in terms of value, although the composition of its exports differs from the imports’, being Australian fisheries exports dominated by high value species, while its imports consist of lower value products such as frozen or canned fish.
Most important species produced in Australian oceans
Amongst all species sold on the Australian fish market 2007-2008, Australian sardines took the biggest share in terms of volume with 33,600 tonnes landed and traded. Salmonoids, including salmons and trouts, were the second most dominant portion of the market, at 25,500 tonnes, followed by prawns at 22,400 tonnes, tuna at 14,700 tonnes and rock lobsterRock lobster
Jasus edwardsii, the southern rock lobster, red rock lobster, or spiny rock lobster, is a species of spiny lobster found throughout coastal waters of southern Australia and New Zealand including the Chatham Islands. This species is commonly called crayfish or crays in New Zealand and in Māori...
at 13,800 tonnes.
In the Australian fishery market the rock lobster brought the largest revenue; exchanged for a value of $407 million. Salmons and trouts kept the second position with $299 million, with prawns third at $268 million and tuna fourth at $210 million. Finally, abalone is the fifth commercially most important species for the Australian fish market, generating $189 million.
Exports and imports of the most commercially important species
In 2007-2008 the export of rock lobster generated a $401 million income, followed by abalone at $217 million and prawns at $69 million. Most exports are sent to Asia, with a minor amount going to the United States.Regarding Australian fish
Fish in Australia
There are many species of fish in Australia, and fishing is a popular Australian activity. Most of Australia's fish species are marine. More than 4400 species of fish inhabit Australia's waterways...
imports: canned fish is estimated to be the most imported at $257 million, frozen fish fillets at $228 million, prawns (fresh, chilled and frozen) at $167 million and canned crustaceans and molluscs at $128 million.
According to the Seafood Importer’s Association of Australasia (SIAA), Hoki, Hake, Nile Perch
Nile perch
The Nile perch is a species of freshwaterfish in family Latidae of order Perciformes. It is widespread throughout muchof the Afrotropic ecozone, being native to the Congo, Nile, Senegal, Niger, and Lake Chad, Volta, Lake Turkana and other river basins. It also occurs in the brackish waters of...
and Basa are the most relevant species of fish imported to Australia, in terms of volume.
Total seafood consumption per capita in kg
In the 1990s seafood consumption was 14.7 kg per capita in Perth and 15.1 kg in Sydney. In 2005, seafood consumption in Melbourne was 12.5 kg per capita.Seafood consumption by species in tonnes/value
In FY07/08:Tuna was 6.2% of the domestic catch and 9.6% of total revenue
Salmonoids (salmon and trout) were 10.8% of total catch and 13.6% of revenue
Prawns were 9.5% of total catch and 12.2% of revenue
Rock lobster was 5.8% of total catch and 18.5% of revenue
Abalone was 2.2% of total catch and 8.6% of revenue
Oysters were 4% of catch and 5.2% of revenue
Scallops were 4.3% of total catch and 1.4% of revenue
- Catch includes aquaculture seafood
Percentage and tonnage of seafood consumption by condition (fresh/ frozen/ salted)
Recent developments and trends of seafood consumption
By 2006, out of home seafood consumption had grown substantially, with a shift from ‘whole’ to ‘convenience’ fish bought for home use. Consumers preferred seafood that is easily prepared including canned and pre-prepared varieties.Cultural seafood consumption patterns and peak times of seafood consumption
People of Asian descent tend to have unique preferences for different fish varieties, with demand for imported species such as milkfish, tilapia, snakehead and pomfret.Emerging issues
McPhee in Fisheries Management in Australia identifies a number of emerging issues that are not yet recognised in mainstream fisheries management but which are likely to be of increasing importance.Demographics, population growth and "sea change"
Population growth and aging population as likely to significantly increase domestic demand for seafood and the increased population in fishing ports and along the coastal fringe as likely to cause stresses on fisheries. Increased development is also likely to lead to environmental degradation of coastal fisheries.Marine and estuarine stocking
There are ongoing calls from parts of the recreational fishing sector for increased marine and estuarine stocking in view of increasing recreational fishing pressures. Freshwater stocking has been carried out in some freshwater fisheries for many yearsClimate change
Climate change is expected to have impacts on water temperatures, coral reefs and rainfall patterns which will in turn impact on local ecologies and habitat, breeding cycles and range of fish populations.Fuel use and price
Fuel prices are a significant factor in profitability of fishing. Total fuel use by the fishing industry is equivalent to that of the Netherlands, the 18th largest national user of fuel. As more accessible stocks become overfished, fuel costs per ton will rise.Internet
increased availability of information to amateur recreational anglers is likely to increase their effiency, further increasing pressure on fisheries in populated areas.Market Structure Overview
In 2003, from a random sampleRandom sample
In statistics, a sample is a subject chosen from a population for investigation; a random sample is one chosen by a method involving an unpredictable component...
size of 1004 Australian adults, approximately half the sample at 49% purchased seafood in supermarkets, with 26% at specialist seafood stores, 20% directly from fresh fish markets and 16% catching their own seafood.
Restaurants, hotels and clubs seem to be the main source of fish for approximately 14% of the sample, as well as fish and chips
Fish and chips
Fish and chips is a popular take-away food in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada...
shops at 13%, 4% by family or friends who fish and 2% relying on other fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
outlets.
Supermarket Retailers
| Name | Turnover $ Mill |
|---|---|
| Woolworths | ? |
| Coles | ? |
| Aldi | ? |
| Safeway | ? |
| IGA | ? |
| Franklins | ? |
Wholesalers
Australian Ocean King Prawn CompanyCairns Ocean Products
Five Star Seafoods
Mackay Reef Fish Supplies Pty Ltd
Mackay Reef Export Pty Ltd
Marine World Seafood
Mooloolah River Fisheries
Ocean Exports Pty Ltd
Perkins Island Oysters
Poulos Bros Pty Ltd
Roccos Seafood
Seabest International
Southern Yabby Farm
Urangan Fisheries
Wood Fisheries Pty Ltd
See also
- Australian Fisheries Management AuthorityAustralian Fisheries Management AuthorityThe Australian Fisheries Management Authority is the Australian Government statutory agency responsible for the management and sustainable use of fisheries resources and for combating illegal fishing activities in Australian waters .-History:The Australian Fisheries Management Authority was...
- Aquaculture in AustraliaAquaculture in AustraliaAquaculture in Australia is the country's fastest growing primary industry, accounting for 34% of the total gross value of production of seafood. Mud crabs have been cultivated in Australia for many years, sometimes leading to over-exploitation...
- Fisheries observerFisheries observerA fisheries observer is an independent specialist who serves on board commercial fishing vessels, or in fish processing plants and other platforms, and is employed by a fisheries observer program, either directly by a government agency or by a third party contractor. Observers spend anywhere from...
- Agriculture in Australia - Fisheries
- Conservation in AustraliaConservation in AustraliaConservation in Australia is an issue of state and federal policy. Australia is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, with a large portion of species endemic to Australia...
(see protected areaProtected areaProtected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s that would otherwise be fisheries) - Environmental issues in AustraliaEnvironmental issues in AustraliaEnvironmental issues in Australia describes a number of environmental issues which affect the environment of Australia. There are a range of such issues, some of them relating to conservation in Australia while others, for example the deteriorating state of Murray-Darling Basin, have a direct and...
(see section on Marine conservationMarine conservationMarine conservation, also known as marine resources conservation, is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Marine conservation focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems, and on restoring damaged marine ecosystems...
) - Australian Marine Conservation SocietyAustralian Marine Conservation SocietyAustralian Marine Conservation Society is an Australian independent and not-for-profit organisation, founded in 1965, is dedicated solely to protecting the health and vitality of Australia's coasts and oceans...